2006 r1200rt Intermittent Starting after night in the rain.

I have a 2006 r1200rt with what is an intermittent starting problem. I’ve now had it happen 3 times in the past year, each time after spending the night out in the rain.
I live in WA state and am no stranger to rain. I’ve ridden through many storms no problem. Short stops with rain falling, no problem. Overnight, outdoors, rain, problem.

Last year it happened for the first time. While returning from a few days in Eastern WA I stopped in a small town, found a motel and spent the night. Overnight a storm moved in with heavy rain on the uncovered bike. Next morning attempts to start the bike resulted in starter turning over but never quite catching. Tried it several more times with each attempt falling just short of catching.
Took a break while considering my options, MOA members or BMW service. Tried the bike again with same results. Back to the room while I did more thinking and online search of the forum for similar problems. Tried one last time an hour later, it started. With great relief. I packed up and headed for home asap.
Second and third time about 10 days ago. Event 2, repeat of the 1st event with bike starting several hours to later. Assuming it had gotten wet, then dried out. I fashioned a small cover for the cluster and handlebars. That night, event 3, it rained again (Oregon coast!!), next day it would not start.
Had bike transported back to Portland (thank you MOA road service), bike started. As of last week mechanic unable to find fault or reproduce.
When I last saw bike it was sitting out in the rain (again) try to reproduce. Will talk to shop later.

In summmary, 2006 r1200rt. New battery put in in Sept. Decent battery, not top of the line, but only one available near me At the time (Port Angeles WA).
Bike always turns over, lights come on, it just never get that last bit when the motor catches.
I do not believe it has happened every time it's been in the rain, but since I frequently travel with a cover I can not say with absolute certainty
Any thoughts/suggestions?
Thanks

buy a cover....

wyman.winn said:

buy a cover....

Click to expand...

Thanks, helpful. I see the need for the big hat.

bjkennyp said:

Thanks, helpful. I see the need for the big hat.

Click to expand...

funny, you are potentially in for a huge diagnosis bill at the dealership where, in all likelihood, nothing will be found....buying a cover is a simple solution to your seemingly complex problem...

i ALWAYS cover my RT while on adventures...

LOL about the hat....

Ugh!! I had a problem on a GL500I many years ago with rain. It can be super frustrating!! I ended up carefully spraying different areas of the bike until I could reproduce the problem.

Follow up on my original note: R intermittent starting after sitting out in the rain.

With the help of a rainy November in Portland my mechanic attempted to reproduce the problem. Putting the bike outside, in the rain for 3 or 4 days, then attempting to start it each day after varying hours of exposure he was unable to reproduce the problem.
After doing additional research he pulled the left side fairing and noticed the fuel pump controller, in the flange, was sitting in pooled water. From there he started to do some additional checking and found that both the controller and gasket had been revised over the years and were now on the 4th version.
Quick jump - after discussing the results and along with others posts I’d read, mostly on the forum, I agreed to have “fuel pump, electronic, #16148523262" replaced. Total cost, 212, labor 97.
In summary, while I can’t say with absolute certainty that the above is both the cause and the solution to the intermittent starting, I do feel good about the steps taken.
My thanks to Daric at Cheshire Motorsports in Portland Oregon for making sense of my poor problem descriptions and failed attempts to describe sounds/locations.
As for me I am going to do a better job of including my bike cover on all trips, and I’ve now found a much better towing service, whose number I’ll keep close at hand ... At least for the next few trips

I see where this may help - water easily sits in the fuel pump well where the fuel pump controller (FPC) sits. BurnsMoto makes a fuel pump bypass harness for when your FPC goes out - somewhat of a common problem in our vintage of bikes.